Eastern Shore men charged with trying to carve off roommate's tattoo

Two Hebron residents were charged Monday with attempted murder and assault for beating a man, attempting to carve a tattoo from his arm, and setting him on fire, police said. The victim remains in critical condition at a burn center in Baltimore, the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office said.

The incident occurred Monday just after 1 a.m. on the 7200 block of Rockawalkin Rd. in Hebron, police said. Officials say Paul Martin Hurst, 33, of Hebron and Cary Lee Edwards, 35, of Williamsburg, Va. began beating Zachary Swanson, 31, after an argument in the Hebron residence the three men share.

The suspects then tried to forcibly remove a tattoo from Swanson's arm, police said. After failing to remove the tattoo, the suspects set fire to the victim's arm, police said. The victim was left on the ground for several hours and suffered severe burns, police said, before he was driven to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center and subsequently flown to a burn center in Batlimore.

Both suspects have been charged with first and second degree attempted murder, first and second degree assault, reckless endangerment and a deadly weapon charge.

Officials say there is a strong possibility the suspects and the victim are connected with the Juggalos, a group of fans of the Detroit hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse. Police said the victim's tattoo was "consistent" with the fan group, which the FBI has classified as a gang.

A 31-year-old man who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Baltimore after he pleaded guilty to possessing 5.9 grams of marijuana won an appeal Wednesday invalidating the plea — raising the possibility that he will be released.